I thank the Deputy for her very precise and clear presentation of the needs in the north east in respect of acute hospital services. It has long been a significant issue, going back decades, in terms of location and so on. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital has been the acute centre and has emerged as the acute centre over that period. There has been substantial investment in both Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Louth Cou…
TDs / Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Taoiseach
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questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
688,766
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686,628 as a minister, 2,138 as a TD
197
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| January 2025 | 6 |
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| May 2025 | 426 |
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Debates they spoke in most
Plus 6,426 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Cork South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Taoiseach 23 January 2025 to now
I think we have been very effective in creating new services in the non-tertiary centres. For example, there are some very good developments in Roscommon. In Cork, the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital has de facto become an elective hospital over time. We had that dotted around the country. Mount Carmel Community Hospital is another good example.
What the Deputy is saying has merit but the detail of that…
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Baill as ucht an deis labhairt leo faoi cháinaisnéis 2026. Is cáinaisnéis thabháchtach í leis an infheistíocht is mó riamh in infreastruchtúr na tíre.
The last number of years have shown us that we are living in times of great change and disruption, from Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic to inflationary pressures, the ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, deglobalisation and a move towa…
The European Union Single Market has been hugely important to this country and we need strong international relationships. The introduction of widespread tariffs by the US, although capped at 15%, will no doubt impact on our economic growth and has been a serious consideration in preparing this budget.
We are fully committed to delivering a strong and stable economy, in which every business, throughout every region …
Of this, €102.4 billion is being allocated for the next five years, an additional €23.9 billion on what was previously allocated in the NDP. A further €10 billion in equity and fund releases is being provided for megaprojects in water, energy and transport. Crucially, a significant element of Government policy in the housing market is to "crowd in" investment from the private sector. The State cannot, on its own, aff…
It gets the Deputies going.
No.
Sorry?
They all will lump together-----
Hear, hear.
Keep going.
The Deputy wanted us to spend more.
Níor léigh an Teachta an buiséad in aon chor.
Tá 14% níos mó sa Ghaeltacht.
It is in the budget.
There is.
In the overall scale of public expenditure - and the national development plan has been a very significant initiative by the Government - I am somewhat surprised at the Deputy's concentrating on, relatively speaking, areas that were covered last year in terms of spendings that should not have happened, specifically the OPW expenditure on a bike shed. I do recall, however, that it was Members of the Opposition who sou…
There were lots of representations from all of them.
You guys wanted a bike shed.
I did not want any bike shed.
A lot of working people, by the way, a lot of public servants, a lot of workers do want facilities in terms of-----
-----cycling to work or active travel. We are not responsible for the detailed-----
Sorry?
I know, but there are so many leaders emerging in Sinn Féin these days-----
Obviously, the presidential announcement that was meant to be never happened, so they should all just take it easy and stand back. Deputy McDonald is here for quite some time yet, it seems, as leader of the party.
As regards the issue of the detailed planning for a new national maternity hospital, which will involve a very significant sum of money, I will not decide every single item of that. If the National Transpo…